UK Citizens Resident in the Republic of Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have an estimate of how many United Kingdom citizens currently reside in the Republic of Ireland.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from the National Statistician, Len Cook, dated 14 March.
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Question on the number of United Kingdom citizens currently residing in the Republic of Ireland (HL1988).
	The most recent estimate of the number of UK citizens residing in the Republic of Ireland is 74,100. This estimate relates to April 2001, and is derived from the Quarterly National Household Survey conducted in the Republic of Ireland by the Irish Central Statistics Office.

Domestic Market Capitalisation of Manufacturing Companies and IT Services

Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current domestic market capitalisation of manufacturing companies in the United Kingdom; and what was the comparable figure in 1997; and
	What is the current domestic market capitalisation of (a) information technology hardware and (b) software and computer services in the United Kingdom; and what was the comparable figure in 1997.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The information on which to base an Answer is not available.

Full-time Equivalent Jobs

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the increase in the number of full-time equivalent jobs since 1997; how many of these are wholly or partly financed from national and local taxation and how many are in the private sector.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The increase in the total number of employee jobs in the economy since 1997 is 1,541,000. The increase in the total number of full-time employed is 846,000 and the increase in the total number of part-time employed is 695,000.
	No figures exist for the number of jobs wholly or partly financed from national and local taxation. Figures are available for jobs by public and private sector up to 2001 from Jobs in the public and private sectors, June 2002 issue of Economic Trends, ONS.
	Between 1997 and 2001, the increase in the number of jobs in the private sector was 1,326,000 and in the public sector 215,000. This information could only be broken down into full-time and part-time at disproportionate cost. Figures on this basis for 2002 will be published in the June 2003 issue of ONS's Economic Trends.

Goods Made in Labour Camps in China

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have evidence that goods made in labour camps in China are being imported to the United Kingdom; and, if so, what action they are taking to prevent such imports.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We have no such evidence.
	Under the Foreign Prison Made Goods Act 1897, as amended, the import into the UK of goods made in any foreign prison or like establishment is prohibited.

Tibet

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the United Nations has considered requests for a referendum to ascertain the will of the people of Tibet as regards self-determination; if so, when; and with what result.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The UN has adopted three resolutions on Tibet, in 1959, 1961 and 1965. None of them called specifically for a referendum.
	More recently, in 1991, a UN sub-commission adopted a resolution expressing concern at "continuing reports of violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms which threaten the distinct cultural, religious and national identity of the Tibetan people".
	We are not aware of any outstanding request to the UN for a referendum on Tibet.

European Convention

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider it realistic for the European Convention to report to a European Union Summit in June 2003 and for the Intergovernmental Conference to reach decisions on the European constitution by the end of December 2003, in view of the complexity of the issues involved and the need to consult the accession states; and, if not, what timetable they would propose.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Following an exchange of views on progress of the discussions, the Copenhagen European Council concluded that the convention will present the result of its work in time for the European Council in June 2003. The timing of the next Intergovernmental Conference has not yet been confirmed.

European Convention

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they believe that the European Convention is giving sufficient weight to the need for subsidiarity and devolved decision-making, especially in an enlarged Union.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: There is widespread recognition in the convention of the importance of subsidiarity. Many endorse an early warning mechanism for national parliamentarians to monitor and enforce this principle more effectively.
	Convention discussions broadly welcomed the ideas in the UK's paper to the convention on Europe and the Regions. Plenary discussions acknowledged the need for greater recognition of the role that many regions play in EU affairs.
	These ideas are well reflected in the draft treaty articles and the draft protocol on subsidiarity and proportionality.

EU: Protection of Minorities

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the European Commission has and will continue to have an important role in protecting the interests of the smaller member states and of other minorities.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The European Commission is independent of any particular member state or group of member states. As Guardian of the Treaties, it is responsible for safeguarding the interests of the Union as a whole. Concerning the protection of minorities, the Commission will continue to play an important role through its capacity to propose action under Article 13 TEC to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

EU: Accession

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	After accession, how many people from each of the applicant nations will be employed by the European Union; and what will be their average salary.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I cannot predict how many people from each of the applicant countries will be employed by the EU after their accession. The EU does not have quotas for employing staff of different nationalities. It employs staff solely on the basis of merit and suitability.
	The following is a breakdown of the number of staff at each grade (top figure in cell) and their relative monthly salaries (bottom figure) within the Commission. Salaries are given in euros. Echelons are the individual pay steps within each grade.
	
		Echelons
		
			 Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total No. of Staff 
			 A1 111,940.71 8 12,575.01 7 13,209.31 1413,843.61 1114,477.91 2015,112.21   61 
			 A2 1710,596.40 3711,201.67 2911,806.94 3112,412.21 4613,017.48 6313,622.75   223 
			 A3 368,775.74 589,305.18 799,834.62 10310,364.06 11110,893.50 10111,422.94 4911,952.38 11712,481.82 654 
			 A4 387,372.55 1157,785.79 1988,199.03 2428,612.27 3259,025.51 2769,438.75 2219,851.99 45310,265.23 1,868 
			 A5 1346,078.30 2526,438.40 4446,798.50 4117,158.60 2297,518.70 1667,878.80 958,238.90 1198,599.00 1,850 
			 A6 1605,252.79 3945,539.39 4535,825.99 3086,112.59 1276,399.19 426,685.79 196,972.39 157,258.99 1,518 
			 A7 4494,521.59 2544,746.58 4334,971.57 3025,196.56 935,421.55 575,646.54   1,588 
			 A8 1453,998.94 574,160.21   202 
			 B1 95,252.79 345,539.39 725,825.99 1436,112.59 1376,399.19 1026,685.79 826,972.39 2297,258.99 808 
			 B2 404,551.14 1434,764.51 1514,977.88 1795,191.25 1285,404.62 1225,617.99 655,831.36 566,044.73 884 
			 B3 473,817.46 1923,994.88 2324,172.30 2444,349.72 1844,527.14 1024,704.56 544,881.98 375,059.40 1,092 
			 B4 253,301.76 1913,455.62 3093,609.48 2683,763.34 953,917.20 454,071.06 194,224.92 224,378.78 974 
			 B5 4222,951.34 393,075.85 1423,200.36 1503,324.87 757 
			 C1 13,367.66 53,503.46 153,639.26 593,775.06 2093,910.86 2224,046.66 1984,182.46 9104,318.26 1,619 
			 C2 2,929.16 13,053.61 183,178.06 993,302.51 2233,426.96 2923,551.41 2903,675.86 3903,800.31 1,313 
			 C3 62,732.35 332,838.97 1812,945.59 3643,052.21 3443,158.83 2413,265.45 1283,372.07 1233,478.69 1,420 
			 C4 112,468.89 1782,568.90 4552,668.91 4012,768.92 2282,868.93 562,968.94 173,068.95 1253,168.96 1,471 
			 C5 4092,276.47 172,369.75 2562,463.03 1832,556.31 865 
			 D1 12,572.75 2,685.24 12,797.73 132,910.22 333,022.71 503,135.20 1113,247.69 2533,360.18 462 
			 D2 2,345.85 32,445.76 62,545.67 532,645.58 562,745.49 432,845.40 112,945.31 153,045.22 187 
			 D3 232,183.37 12,276.82 162,370.27 502,463.72 222,557.17 72,650.62 2,744.07 12,837.52 120 
			 L3 18,775.74 19,305.18 29,834.62 210,364.06 1210,893.50 811,422.94 1211,952.38 712,481.82 45 
			 L4 27,372.55 127,785.79 208,199.03 538,612.27 989,025.51 919,438.75 959,851.99 15710,265.23 528 
			 L5 26,078.30 536,438.40 1066,798.50 1137,158.60 657,518.70 507,878.80 308,238.90 368,599.00 455 
			 L6 735,252.79 845,539.39 1165,825.99 776,112.59 236,399.19 46,685.79 26,972.39 7,258.99 379 
			 L7 1054,521.59 1054,746.58 844,971.57 435,196.56 205,421.55 35,646.54   360 
			 L8 413,998.94 234,160.21   64 
			  Total full and part time staff 21,767

Moldovan Exports to the EU

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will seek better access to the European Union for the products of the Republic of Moldova, in view of its size and economic difficulties.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Trade relations between the EU and Moldova are covered by a partnership and co-operation agreement under which Moldova's exports to the EC receive most favoured nation (MFN) treatment. In addition, as a developing country, Moldova benefits from the EC's generalised system of preferences (GSP) under which a large proportion of Moldovan exports to the EC enjoy a preferential tariff rate below that of the MFN rate. Since 2000, Moldova has also received additional reductions of customs duties under GSP as an ILO application country. Currently Moldova does not take full advantage of existing preferences offered under GSP.

Furniture Products Registered as Medical Devices

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will review the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 in so far as they currently exempt furniture products that are registered as medical devices and which can be legally marketed in the United Kingdom for domestic use even though they do not meet the standards laid down in the regulations.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: This is a matter for the Medical Devices Agency.

Viscoelastic Foam

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether consumer safety is adequately served when mattresses containing viscoelastic foam which has not been combustion-modified may be legally marketed, distributed and sold in the United Kingdom.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 impose requirements in relation to new domestic furniture, including garden furniture which may be used indoors and furniture used in caravans, subject to exceptions from some of the Regulations for certain furniture. Some of the requirements apply to second-hand furniture. The regulations do not apply to goods for export or to the supply of goods made before 1 January 1950 or to supply of materials intended for re-upholstering furniture made before that date.
	The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 ensure a high-level of consumer safety.

Broadband

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What purpose is intended to be achieved by permitting regional development agencies to bid for licences in the forthcoming 3.4GHz spectrum auction.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The award of radio licences at 3.4GHz is part of the strategy to help meet the Government's aim to maximise the extensiveness and competitiveness of UK broadband provision. We are aiming to build a broadband Britain by offering services through as many platforms as possible, such as a number of wireless spectrum bands including the 3.4GHz spectrum.
	Any body corporate may make an application to take part in the forthcoming 3.4GHz spectrum auction. Applications may be refused where the grant of a licence to that applicant would be prejudicial to the interests of national security or the applicant would not be a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
	No specific provisions have been made to allow regional development agencies to take part in the auction, but nor do we believe that it is necessary to exclude them from the auction.

Coal-fired Power Stations

Lord Campbell of Croy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish a White Paper on the future of coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom, including the case for using British coal and the need to protect the environment.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government's recent White Paper Our Energy Future recognises that coal-fired generation will have an important part to play in widening the diversity of the energy mix, provided ways can be found materially to reduce its carbon emissions. We will continue to support relevant research projects, including internationally, to develop options for cleaner coal technologies and for carbon capture and storage.
	Indigenous coal competes freely with imported coal to supply electricity generators. We have recently announced a coal investment aid scheme worth up to £60 million over three years to support chosen commercially realistic projects which maintain access to reserves and preserve jobs in mining areas.

Hayes PPP Project

Lord Brookman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether a preferred bidder has been appointed for the Hayes public private partnership project.

Lord Bach: The Ministry of Defence has decided to appoint TNT Express Services with ProLogis Ltd as the preferred bidder for the Hayes PPP project. Subject to negotiations, TNT will be responsible for the provision of records management and archiving services to the Ministry of Defence and a number of other government organisations for a 25-year period. ProLogis will become the owners of the ministry site at Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex and will be responsible for its redevelopment. Within two years, TNT intends to relocate the records service to new facilities in the Midlands.
	This project is a pan-government collaboration between the MoD, as project sponsor, and its 13 partners which are as follows:
	Court Service
	Public Record Office
	Lord Chancellor's Department
	Department for International Development
	Department of Trade and Industry
	Public Guardianship Office
	Parliamentary Commissioner
	Crown Prosecution Service
	Home Office
	Metropolitan Police Service
	Food Standards Agency
	Veterinary Medicines Directorate
	Energywatch
	When the contract takes effect, possibly in the summer of 2003, TNT will become the new employer for all transferring civil servants (perhaps more than 60). All transfers to TNT will be covered by the Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) 1981.
	The Hayes PPP contract will initially provide secure storage for possibly 200kms of official paper records. The service will include a high degree of accountability for this material and will offer a range of delivery standards to suit each government organisation's needs via a UK-wide logistics network.

Lord Patel: Re-appointment to Armed Forces' Pay Review Body

Lord Davies of Coity: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will confirm the re-appointment of Lord Patel to the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body.

Lord Bach: We are pleased to announce that we have re-appointed Lord Patel as a member of the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body for a second three-year term. This appointment has been conducted in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' guidance on appointments to public bodies.

Iraq: Aid

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What additional funding will be available to meet the humanitarian consequences of a war in Iraq over and above existing aid budgets; and, if this is to come from the global contingency reserve, how much of that reserve is already committed in this financial year.

Baroness Crawley: The Department for International Development's contingency reserve for the current financial year, which ends on 31 March, has already been fully allocated to emergency needs in other parts of the world. It has been used to respond to the crises in southern Africa, the Horn of Africa, Palestine and elsewhere. DfID has a budget of just under £100 million for responding to rapid onset emergencies in poor countries, as well as the contingency reserve for 2003–04, which is unallocated, both of which we would draw on for any Iraq emergency to supplement funds available from the Iraq aid framework. Combined with the department's existing programme of humanitarian support for Iraq, this might mean up to around £65 million could be available for Iraq for response to immediate needs. Discussions are taking place with other government departments on how Iraq's further funding needs could be met.

UNRWA

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	As regards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA): (a) what is the total budget for the current year and the coming year; and (b) whether the current year's budget has already been spent.

Baroness Crawley: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency's budget for 2003 is approximately US$300 million. It will be similar next year. There is a further budget of US$93 million for its emergency appeal for the first six months of 2003. Voluntary contributions are paid to UNRWA throughout the year. UNRWA draws down these contributions on a regular basis to meet its recurrent and emergency needs.

UNRWA

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How far the United Nations Relief and Works Agency's appeal for £60 million made in December 2002 has been successful; whether the United Kingdom has contributed; and, if so, how much.

Baroness Crawley: UNRWA has so far received confirmed pledges totalling US$28.6 million for the 2003 emergency appeal. The UK has contributed £1.8 million, and we plan to contribute more. We also contribute substantially to UNRWA's general budget.

UNRWA

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many United Nations Relief and Works Agency personnel have been killed and wounded since September 2000.

Baroness Crawley: Between 28 September 2000 and 9 December 2002 six UNRWA personnel have been killed. Of these, two were working at the time they were killed. Thirty-eight UNRWA personnel have been wounded.

Israeli Incursions: UNRWA Representations

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Israel will be obliged to compensate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for damage done by military action to schools, clinics, hospitals, etc.

Baroness Crawley: UNRWA, together with the international community more widely, has made repeated representations to the Government of Israel about damage caused during Israeli incursions. UNRWA and the international community have reserved the right to seek compensation.

Family Law Reforms

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in introducing the package of reforms designed to tighten court rules and importing some of the conclusions from the surveys of the good practice guidelines produced by the Children Act sub-committee of the Lord Chancellor's advisory board on family law.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The department and the President of the Family Division's Adoption Committee are considering the stakeholder responses and efficiency gains following implementation of the guidelines. A full analysis of the data collected is expected to be completed this spring. A decision will be made in relation to the extent of incorporation of these guidelines into future rules of court.

SEN

Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To assist statementing and meeting special educational needs, whether they will commend to local education authorities the Oxfordshire Local Education Authority approach to monitoring support for children with special educational needs.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: We are always pleased to hear about interesting arrangements for monitoring the support of children with special educational needs, and I am grateful to the noble Lord for bringing Oxfordshire's work to our attention. It is, however, ultimately up to individual authorities to develop their own systems for monitoring the effectiveness of the support provided for children with special educational needs in their areas in the light of local needs and circumstances. They may of course want to approach other successful authorities for information and advice in doing so. The Government welcome and encourage the sharing of practice in this way, rather than commending one particular approach as a model, given differing local circumstances.
	Guidance on approaches to the distribution of resources for meeting the needs of children with special educational needs is given in The Distribution of Resources to Support Inclusion, which was published by the Department for Education and Skills in November 2001. The network of 11 special educational needs regional partnerships brings together local education authorities, health and social services and voluntary agencies to share knowledge and expertise. The partnerships have focused on effective practice on monitoring and accountability for SEN. Monitoring and accountability will also be developed further as part of the special educational needs action programme, to be published later this year.

Listed Buildings: Access

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will seek to ensure that there is maintained an up-to-date register showing the extent of access for disabled persons to listed buildings offering public access in London.

Baroness Blackstone: There are currently no plans to establish a register of this type. English Heritage is, however, conducting access audits of its directly managed properties.

Gifts to Ministers of the Crown

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish a list of gifts given to Ministers of the Crown during their period in public office; and, if not, why not; and
	Whether the report in the Guardian on 3 March was correct in stating that attempts have been made by the Prime Minister's advisers to persuade the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to change the findings in her draft report on the public disclosure of gifts made to Ministers of the Crown; and, if not, what is the true position.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Prime Minister has today published a list of gifts received by Ministers. The list provides details of gifts received since June 2001 valued at more than £140. Copies of the list have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	It is standard practice for there to be a dialogue between departments and the ombudsman about draft reports. A meeting was held between the permanent secretaries in the Cabinet Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department and the ombudsman as part of this process. It was not an attempt to change the ombudsman's finding. The final decision on what is in the report is for the ombudsman.